Zune Was a Beautiful Commercial Disaster

[@DominicGo]

the UI on the zune was so cool, really ahead of its time

[@serialhobbyism_official]

Absolutely! Especially on the Zune HD, it doesn't feel outdated at all. That's impressive considering it came out like more than 15 years ago!

[@hav0k74]

The subscription for the Marketplace also allowed you to "keep" 10 songs per month. I loved my Zunes!

[@serialhobbyism_official]

Yes! I forgot to mention that! Which Zunes did you have?

[@hav0k74]

@@serialhobbyism_official I had the Brown brick, I bought the Pink mini for my mom and daughter, the 60GB touchpad (cracked the screen the first month I owned it) and the 120GB touchscreen which I used the longest. I only finally sold the lot a couple years ago. I even had the FM transmitter that plugged into the bottom of the Zune. So sad it didn't take off!

[@Angelaaa1111]

Thank you for this deep dive into the Zune. I still have my 120g, and I listen to it all the time. It's connected to a pair of vintage computer speakers with a subwoofer that predate the Zune by at least 10 years. I like my Zune so much that when it went south a couple of years ago, I made it my mission to find a place that could fix it. Also: someone gave me a Windows 7 laptop so I could run the Zune software and sync to the device.

[@serialhobbyism_official]

Very cool! You can actually sync with Windows 11 now, thanks to a couple of fixes done by enthusiasts at zuneupdate.com

[@Angelaaa1111]

I know, but unfortunately I don't understand how to do it. 🙄

[@serialhobbyism_official]

@@Angelaaa1111 Ah, well using an older PC is still a good solution!

[@iggybud6684]

Wow, can't believe a video like this or people that felt like me about Zunes even exists. My Zune HD was beloved and I thought so much better than anything 'i'. Couldn't understand why everyone didn't prefer its perfect touch screen and display. I think of her often and know she's still around here somewhere. So happy to hear an update was created!

[@anubis66678]

I still have a black 120GB that I used to have hooked up to my car stereo. I haven't been able to synch it to anything in years, but it worked the last time I charged it. It was my third Zune! It's a paperweight now, but I still love it!

[@serialhobbyism_official]

You should still be able to sync it! You just have to do some software fixes. I think I put a link in this video’s description.

[@Lazarev666]

The interface was really nice, and the design was beautiful too. The saddest part was losing Microsoft phones. Metro Interface design is amazing, better than android or ios. Ohh lumia, nice cameras, good interface, and no apps. I never used zune, I used creative zen. It was really reliable and good sounding. I don't miss 3.5mm Jack, type c dongles sound amazing with iems. I don't get people who buy ipod classic nowadays, I remember buying one for 35euro 😂 and now they are expensive again. Metro Design, so elegant and simple😢 Lumia phone just felt right... but Microsoft screwed up big time.

[@serialhobbyism_official]

I actually want to do a video on Windows Phone, too! Like the Zune, it seems to have been unfairly maligned.

[@Lazarev666]

@serialhobbyism_official That's a nice idea I used to own lumia 640xl On windows 8 it worked OK, still no apps. After the update, it started laging and crashing. They did not take it to warranty, so I killed it with my bench supply 😆 to get my money back. It deserves to be hated, but aesthetics, keyboard, and a metro design in general was superb.

[@jcpichuts91]

zune hd was such an amazing device and frankly created unrealistic standards for the later windows phones that came after, the UI is still great and I miss it a lot

[@serialhobbyism_official]

Absolutely! I really want to do a video on Windows Phones, too. The problem is that it is really difficult to show their functionality when all the app servers, update servers, etc. are all long gone.

[@SiincereARC]

Had Zune from day one, eventually the software ended up being garbage. I would use itunes to correct all of my metadata, then I would import all of the music into the software. I was in love with the Zune HD as I could find ways to download music videos and watch them on there, which was SUPER big prior to 2011. The quality was TOP NOTCH, no joke. I think the software was the biggest issue with the Zune. Getting the music properly onto your Zune with correct metadata was a massive problem.

[@serialhobbyism_official]

Interesting! I always liked the software-definitely a lot more than iTunes, which was always very slow and clunky for me. I don't recall have any issues with the metadata. Was that using your own music collection, or music you got from the Zune Marketplace or Zune Music Pass?

[@SiincereARC]

@@serialhobbyism_official my own. I didn't have money to afford the zune pass and I already had a ton of CDs by that point, so I would convert a ton of music. Honestly, the main reason why I used iTunes was because I could do metadata in bulk. I never used it for more then burning CDs, making custom playlists and bulk metadata. I had moments where the zune software had trouble and I don't know if it was because my main genre at the time was traditional hip-hop.

[@captain_sly-d5186]

I've always wanted a Zune HD. For me it was modern. The UI is great. Later they tried to remake it for the windows phone but it wasn't the same.

[@wehavetogoback369]

I had the original brick zune in white and used it a ton. Still have it, though it's broken now from a bad fall forever ago. Still held onto it in case I ever want to do a project like replacing the drive and changing the battery and getting it running. Replaced it with a Zune HD that I used happily for years until phones with microsd slots took over the role as the all in one device. Shame how that one turned out in the long run.

[@serialhobbyism_official]

Sounds like your path was pretty similar to mine!

[@kernelcaptinn6784]

I remember sharing songs on the bus with my friends with my zune

[@serialhobbyism_official]

Nice!

[@korumann]

It was a really cool feature, too bad they decided to call it squirting

[@serialhobbyism_official]

@@korumann Wait, what?! I didn't know that was the term for it! That's pretty dang funny.

[@briannacluck5494]

I know a couple people who are still ride or die for their zunes. I joined the class of people who had MP3 players a little late, getting one in 2010 when I was a junior in highschool and saved up the hundred bucks needed to buy myself a Sansa Fuze, which I immediately installed Rockbox on since I was a kind of protohipster who was just barely getting interested in open source software, resulting in me scouring the rockbox website on the school library computer looking for compatible mp3 players I could buy at the local circuit city. Now, 14 years later, I'm still an mp3 player holdout, though I've upgraded from my sansa fuze through a couple other devices until landing on my current daily driver, the Shanling M3X. Using an mp3 player (or digital audio player or dap, if you want to get fancy with it) is almost anachronistic now when there's so many other options, but there's just something nice about having a device that does one or two things, and does them well.

[@serialhobbyism_official]

Oh gosh, I forgot all about the Sansa Fuze and Rockbox! I definitely considered going that route back in the day. The M3X looks interesting! Does it have any special features that make it stand out among generic MP3 players?

[@Angelaaa1111]

I am Zune ride or die. 💯%

[@briannacluck5494]

@@serialhobbyism_officialHaha, right? Rockbox was so great. It still exists but not as much as it used to. Honestly, the M3X only has a couple really killer features that make it stand out. First, it has a dedicated DAC and the audio circuitry is insulated from the rest of the board so you don't get interference from bluetooth and things like that. Second, it has multiple output jacks for either standard 3.5mm headphones or something using balanced output. The rest is really all software. It's got the ability to be used as a USB DAC to bypass your computer's built in audio if it's not great, it's got long battery life, and it has two different interfaces: one that's full android, and another that's a kind of minimum viable android meant to launch directly into the music player app. I typically keep mine on full android mode because I also use it to listen to podcasts, but the dedicated player mode is really nice and responsive. A lot of generic MP3 players unfortunately have really garbage audio output, with it either being too quiet or the DAC being bad enough quality that your music peaks out all the time and sounds kind of crushed. A more generic one is honestly fine if you just want some dance tunes when running or podcasts in your car, but I figured I would get a more fancy model just so I don't feel bad about what could have been, and also because most of my music is in FLAC format and I wanted to make sure I could get the most out of it. You can go a lot cheaper and get good results. The Hidisz AP80, for example, is a little over a hundred bucks while using the same circuitry as what's used in Sony's much more expensive walkmans. The only tradeoff with that is it doesn't have a great podcast interface but, again, if your primary use is music then it's totally fine.

[@serialhobbyism_official]

@@briannacluck5494 Very interesting! If I was in the market for dedicated player, I'd definitely be considering that. Sadly, I've chosen the convenience over quality road, haha. I just use Spotify on my iPhone. Luckily, I usually can't even hear the audio quality problems.

[@briannacluck5494]

@@serialhobbyism_officialHey, no shame in that! when I'm at work I stream all my music all day. I just have a particular use case for mine and found something that works

[@OrinSorinson]

I'm still looking for the day when I'll stumble upon a zune in my thrifting/car boot sale/fleamarket weekends. one day...

[@serialhobbyism_official]

I was actively looking for some at thrift stores while I was making this video! Didn't see a single one. :(

[@OrinSorinson]

@@serialhobbyism_official found more than a dozen iPods along the years, wasn't looking for them, and bought many for less than a can of coke, before they had their little resurgence. But the zune is elusive. Their small sales numbers are no help here.

[@daniellecoward7621]

I think I might still have my Zune lol

[@ApocalypticSoviets]

I had an original zune in black back in highschool that I used for my lengthy commutes, loved that thing

[@serialhobbyism_official]

Nice! What version/color were you rocking?

[@ApocalypticSoviets]

@@serialhobbyism_official the black original brick version, thing was a tank. Had one of the zune hds later, but that think kept giving me trouble with random freezes. Screen was pretty nice though.

[@serialhobbyism_official]

@@ApocalypticSoviets Nice, the same two I had! Sucks that your HD had issues, though. I don't recall mine ever giving me any problems, thankfully.

[@chfgn]

Zune HD is still the coolest UI design *and* hardware industrial design ever released. It was so far ahead of the Apple-copying pack that it STILL feels like a device from the future in 2024.

[@serialhobbyism_official]

I agree completely!

[@InvidiousIgnoramus]

Wait... that color was BROWN?! My friend had one when we were kids and I could have sworn it was burgundy red.

[@serialhobbyism_official]

Hmmm… there might have been a red special edition. But the brown was definitely the original!

[@InvidiousIgnoramus]

@@serialhobbyism_official I don't know, I don't recall his having any special markings. Just a normal Zune 30GB from what I can remember.

[@aardvark173]

@@serialhobbyism_official Yes, there was a red special edition 30gb Zune. I still have one (upgraded to a 128gb SSD and 3000mAh battery).

[@postnick]

I loved the zune music pass!!! Was at university and piracy was more difficult at the time.

[@serialhobbyism_official]

Right? It was amazing at the time!

[@NathanMallek]

Great in depth video! Microsoft should have marketed zune pass better cause with that it could have had a fighting chance against apple.

[@serialhobbyism_official]

Exactly! I don't think many people knew about it, but it was a serious advantage

[@nissimtrifonov5314]

I was sure he was going to say "bing vs bong" for some reason

[@serialhobbyism_official]

🤣

[@mandroid5678]

Had first, second gen, and HD BUT f- Microsoft for locking up that bootloader tight so they're all ewaste now. Rockbox on a Zune would be awesome.

[@serialhobbyism_official]

You can still use them and sync with the Zune software! But I agree that it would be nice to be able to use Rockbox.

[@urielortiz3667]

I have a small collection of all the different models lol been using my HD for years now and I prefer over my phone any day even if it’s a bit outdated to today’s standards.

[@serialhobbyism_official]

Nice! I love the HD and used it a lot back in the day, but I don’t have any local music anymore 😢

[@urielortiz3667]

That’s a mission lol good luck on getting some. I use KZbin to mp3 for some. The artist backgrounds been gone so that’s one thing that you won’t be to get that nostalgic UI

[@serialhobbyism_official]

@@urielortiz3667and the UI is the best part!

[@LemonMango]

I'd gotten an iPod Nano from a friend and barely used it because I never liked Apple's UI. I tried out a Zune at a FutureShop and thought it was great, but I just couldn't afford it. I was a poor college student at the time and went with a Sansa Clip instead. That thing was loaded with features; it even had an equalizer and supported FLAC! I was very happy with it, but still wished for that Zune.

[@stinkyyy2k]

Gosh their software really was so beautiful, i wish there was a way to bring it back as an app or something on Android

[@serialhobbyism_official]

That would be so cool!

[@TheDeveloperGuy]

Oooh, nice workbench!

[@serialhobbyism_official]

Thank you!

[@daisywong-ke1kz]

Great content! Thanks for sharing. :D

[@EarnestWilliamsGeofferic]

To be honest, I think everyone liked the Zune that had used one.

[@serialhobbyism_official]

That’s an interesting idea! But so few people ever even touched one. I think it would have needed to be markedly better than iPod so word of mouth could take over.

[@jc_bmkk]

Nice content brother, keep up the good work!

[@TheDigitalPatriot]

Great video, and a great premise. You have so much potential, can I give you a few pointers? Your camera presence will evolve naturally, don't overthink that, but there were just way too many jump cuts. And the sex joke was kind of cringe, that's a hell of a way to alienate an audience, specifically pop culture lovers. Liking pop culture =/= not having sex, weird outlook honestly and we're close in age lol Other than that? Good job, I'll subscribe! Looking forward to the growth of your channel, I'll be here.

[@serialhobbyism_official]

Thanks for the advice! I'm not really sure how to avoid the jump cuts, because I'm definitely not capable of running through the whole script perfectly. Normally I have a B cam to switch to, but the autofocus screwed up and it was unusable for this video. And that's a fair point about the joke! I thought it'd be a cheeky/lighthearted way to poke fun at Marvel fans, but I guess it didn't land. Noted! :)

[@spell105]

Uhm, no I wasn't.

[@serialhobbyism_official]

Ha! I figured the title would work for, like, 80% of people who saw it.

[@stinkyyy2k]

Lmao the leap day bug is so funny to me for some reason 😭

[@evertonshorts9376]

I thought Zune was Zool's dog?

[@serialhobbyism_official]

I had to look that up! Apparently that dog was "Zoon", which is pretty cool!

[@evertonshorts9376]

@@serialhobbyism_official Zune is also the name of the MUI compatible UI toolkit in AROS.

[@serialhobbyism_official]

@@evertonshorts9376 Interesting! I have never heard of that!

[@no.ca5270]

I’ll never get my “ppl” do that to there ears

[@serialhobbyism_official]

huh?

[@aanimal]

Your videos have the potential to be something much, much greater. Try being more expressive! "Dancing" in your videos (both acting and editing) is going to make them more engaging, which is sure to grow your audience.

[@serialhobbyism_official]

Thank you for the advice! I'm definitely trying to get more comfortable on camera in order to be more engaging.

[@FaridAbbasbayli]

Kind of weird to dunk on MCU nerds (especially since it's pretty much mainstream) while doing a video on Zune in 2024.